Birds
Giant Hummingbird
Patagona gigas · also called giant hummingbirds
Flapping its wings slowly enough to watch each individual beat, a giant hummingbird is roughly eight times heavier than many of its smaller relatives, holding the title of largest hummingbird species anywhere in the world.
Overview
The giant hummingbird, Patagona gigas, is a Least Concern bird native to mountain and grassland habitat across the Andes of Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina. Its record-setting size, visibly slow wingbeats, and unusual gliding flight make it one of the most physically distinctive hummingbirds found anywhere in the world.
A hummingbird too big to hum
Stripped of the blur and buzz that gives hummingbirds their name, the giant hummingbird instead flies with slow, visible wingbeats and even brief glides, a reminder that scaling up a familiar body plan can change its behaviour just as much as its size.
Status
Least Concern, remaining widespread and generally stable across suitable habitat throughout the Andes.
Giant Hummingbird: common questions
How big is the giant hummingbird compared with other hummingbirds?
This species is the largest of all hummingbird species, roughly eight times heavier than many smaller hummingbirds found elsewhere in the Americas.
Why can you see the giant hummingbird's wingbeats?
This species flaps its wings at a noticeably slower rate than smaller hummingbirds, slow enough that individual wingbeats remain visible rather than blurring into the characteristic hum most hummingbirds produce.
Can the giant hummingbird glide like other birds?
Yes, this species is capable of brief gliding flight between wingbeats, a technique rarely seen among the smaller, constantly hovering hummingbird species.
Does the giant hummingbird migrate?
In parts of its range, yes, this species undertakes seasonal elevational migration, moving to lower ground during the harshest winter months before returning to higher elevation.